Archive For: SC AICW Problems

Below, you will discover our listing of what have been reported as the worst problem stretches of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway along the South Carolina coastline, arranged in a rough, north to south geographic format.
Be sure to click on the links labeled, “Click Here To See What Your Fellow Cruisers Are Saying About . . . ” to check on the latest input from the cruising community, and, don’t miss the links labeled, “Click Chartlet Below To Open A Chart View window zoomed to the Location of This AICW Problem Stretch.” This latter link will bring up a “Chart View” window, zoomed to the location of the problem stretch in question.

Many thanks to our good friends, Mark and Diana Doyle, for sharing this depth survey of northern Fields Cut, which was listed as a hazard to navigation (see /?p=143997) in this week’s Local Notices. Please let this survey and our Nav Alert serve to guide you through this major Problem Stretch.

Hi Larry,
Just saw your recent SSECN report on Fields Cut. You’re right, it’s getting uglier and uglier there.
Diana and I went through yesterday so I thought I’d send you a depth-annotated track and survey report for your readers.
That end of the cut was always interesting but now it’s got a three-foot MLLW speed bump right in the middle of the ICW channel!
Best,
Captains Mark & Diana Doyle
m/v Semi-Localwww.OnTheWaterChartGuides.com

The Problem – over the past two years (at least), we have received numerous reports of shallow depths in the AICW channel, moving south from an intersection with Jeremy Creek and McClellanville to Statute Mile 435, near Awendaw Creek. Reported sounding have ranged from 5 feet to grounding depths, and these shallows still seem to be as much of a problem as ever, as of August, 2012

The Solution – Transit this section of the AICW with maximum caution, and stick strictly to the middle of the channel. Be careful not to cut any corners, nor encroach on the channel’s edge. Try to time your passage through this section for mid to high tide

AICW North of Ben Sawyer Bridge to Isle of Palms Bridge(Statute Mile 460, South Carolina ICW)The problem: The AICW is shoaling badly along its southern and southeastern flank between the Ben Sawyer and Isle of Palms Bridges. MLW depths of as little as .2 feet have been noted by an official October, 2013 US Army Corps of Engineers survey, and even the somewhat deeper northern tier of the channel carries only a little better than 4 feet at MLLW!The solution: BE SURE to time your passage through this section of the AICW for mid to high tide. Beginning about .4 of a nautical miles northeast of marker #117A,and continuing south and southwest to marker 119, favor the northern side of the Waterway channel, but don’t approach this shoreline too closely either. Proceed at maximum caution, and keep an eagle eye on the sounder

The Problem – this stretch of the Waterway was last dredged in November – December, 2008. As of August, 2013 severe shoaling lies along this canal’s southwestern mouth, markers #180 and #185. Some dead low water depths of 4 feet will be encountered between these two aids to navigation.
And, for the firs time, as of August, 2013, severe shoaling has also been reported hard by the Ashpoo – Coosaw Cutoff’s northeastern mouth, near marker #177!

The Solution – Time your passage through this section for mid to high tide.
As you cruise through the northeastern entrance to the Ashepoo – Coosaw Cutoff, do NOT approach marker #177 closely. Favor the northern side of the channel somewhat as you pass #177.
When navigating the Cutoff’s southwesterly mouth, try slightly favoring the northwestern side of the channel between markers #184 and #185.